External fixation systems are used to stabilize fractured bones or secure bones after corrective surgery. They are usually made up of structural members held together by clamps, all assembled by the surgeon during surgery. The clamps are placed on bone pins and are attached to bars, creating a frame to hold the bones in particular relationships. Typically, the external fixation frame is assembled in the configuration the surgeon desires, then the fracture is reduced and the clamps are tightened. Some conventional clamps have to be tightened partially to provisionally lock the bone pin or bar into the clamp. Others require insertion of a fixation element against a spring force possibly making insertion more difficult than necessary.
The present disclosure overcomes one or more of the deficiencies in the prior art.